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To help people with their 52 Films By Women challenge this year I thought I’d put together a list of some of my favorite films directed by women that are easily accessible on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Keep in mind that this is in no way all of the films directed by women available on these services, but rather a selection of films I have seen and enjoy. There are also many more films available to rent on Amazon Video as well. Think of this as a jumping off point! Also if you have not taken the 52 Films By Women pledge yet you can do so here.

After a really low month in September, things got really popping in October thanks to the Pordenone Silent Film Festival (in Italy!!!),wherein I watched a bajillion films. Well, not quite that many, but after the cut you’ll see what I mean. October was PACKED WITH CINEMA. Not as much horror as I usually do, but I got some good ones in there. October was a great month for me cinematically. I hope it was for you as well!

Sorry this is a few days late! I was out-of-town all week for my 6th TCM Classic Film Festival – my first as part of #TCMHQ! I had a blast! Although I only saw two films (when I usually see 15 to 17), I got to see one of my all time favorite films The Endless Summer (and met director Bruce Brown!), as well as Rocky (which is always great on the big screen). I also finally met Serge Bromberg from Lobster Films! It was a great fest. As always, a list of everything I watched in April – plus a few favorites – can be found after the cut.

Lately I’ve become more and more frustrated with the various “best ever” lists that have been released because they rarely feature films by women, or if they do it’s usually one or two films. I think this is more a reflection of those who are polled for these kinds of lists, as well as a compounding of history on itself. For so long films by men have made up the bulk of the film canon and I think people are afraid to add new films to these revered lists. I also think many people haven’t seen very many films by women, or if they have it’s always the same handful of films. In an attempt to create a better, more inclusive list of great films by women, I polled over 500 critics, filmmakers, bloggers, historians, professors and casual film viewers, asking them to tell me what films directed (or co-directed) by women are essential viewing. Some people only responded with as little as five votes, others submitted hundreds of films. In the end, I received over 7,000 votes for 1,100+ different films. After tallying up this data, with ties factored in, I then had a list of 103 essential films directed by women.

Wendy: Not a lot of jobs around here, huh?Security Guard: I’ll say. I don’t know what the people do all day. Used to be a mill. But that’s been closed a long time now. Don’t know what they do.Wendy: You can’t get a job without an address anyway. . .or a phone.Security Guard: You can’t get an address without an address. You can’t get a job without a job. It’s all fixed.Wendy: That’s why I’m going to Alaska. I hear they need people.Security Guard: I hear it’s really pretty up there.Wendy: Yeah.

Emily Tetherow: You don’t know much about women, do you Stephen Meek?Stephen Meek: Well, I, I know somethin’ or other.Emily Tetherow: If you say so.Stephen Meek: Well, I know women are different from men. I know that much. Well, I’ll tell you the difference if you care to hear.Emily Tetherow: I don’t doubt you will.Stephen Meek: Women, women are created on the principle of chaos. The chaos of creation, disorder, bringing new things into the world. Men are created on the principle of destruction. It’s like cleansing, ordering, destruction. You think I’m wrong, you can tell me. Chaos and destruction. Those two genders are always at it.